Folding chair for automobiles.



W. H. DOUGLAS. FOLDING CHAIR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

' APPLIUATION FILED MAY 20, 1913.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR .MZZl/IM J7. flaaams ATTORNEYS W. H. DOUGLAS.

FOLDING CHAIR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1913.

Patented Nov. 25

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES W/LL/AM H flOl/GL/IS A770RNEY8 uuLuMBl A PLANOORAPH C0 WASHINGTON. D. c.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. DOUGLAS, 0F BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HEALEY 00., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING CHAIR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Done- LAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Belleville, in the county of EsseX and State ofNew Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Folding Chair for Automobiles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved'folding chair for automobiles, arranged to be completely out of the way when folded and to allow of quick and convenient setting up for use whenever desired.

In order to accomplish the desired result use is made of a front leg pivoted at its lower end and provided at its upper end with a seat-supporting frame on which the seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs pivotally connected at their upper ends with the said seat-supporting frame, the rear legs having upwardly-extending arms, and links pivotally connecting the said arms with the said seat to slide the latter forward and backward on the seat frame.

is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a plan View of an automobile provided with two folding chairs, of which one is in extended position and the other is in folded position, a portion of the floor covering being broken out; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the chair in folded position, parts being shown in section; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the extended chair, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the rear legs, portions of the seat frame, connecting link and back; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of the front leg and a portion of the seat-supporting frame; Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section of the front leg in folded position, the section being on the line 66 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of the front leg and its support.

The automobile A, shown in the drawings is provided with two folding chairs to accommodate two extra persons between the usual front seats A and the rear seats A of the automobile. Both folding chairs are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 20, 1913.

Patented Nov. 25,1913. Serial No. 768,758.

alike in construction and hence it sufiices to describe but one in detail. A support B is let into the floor A of the automobile, and this support is preferably formed of two rails spaced apart to form a narrow slot B, extending lengthwise of the autooverlying the carpet or other fioor covering A having a cut-out portion in register with the slot B, The upper end of the leg C is provided wlth a cross bar C from the ends of which extend rearwardly seat-supporting rods C slidingly engaged by eyes D attached to the underside of a seat D, preferably of the upholstered kind. The rear ends of the rods 0 are connected with a rear cross bar C it being understood that the cross bars C C and the rods C constitute the seat-supporting frame. A practical embodiment of the invention The ends of the cross bar C are provided with pivots C on which are mounted to swing the upper ends of the rear legs E provided at their lower ends with shoulders E and reduced terminals E as plainly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The terminals E are adapted to engage sockets F and F, ofrubber or other suitable material, let into the floor A and supported at the bottom by a plate F attached to the under side of the floor A An apertured covering plate F is attached to the top of the floor A to hold the sockets in place against upward movement. The shoulder E of each leg E is adapted to be seated on the top of the corresponding socket F or F, and each of the socket-s F, F is made of rubber or other suitable elastic material so as to cushion the rear legs E. It will be noticed that a pair of cushioned sockets F is located somewhat in front of the rear seat A to receive the lower ends of the legs E at the time the chair is in extended position, as indicated in Fig. 3, and another pair of cushioned sockets F is located immediately in the rear of the front seat A to receive the lower ends of the rear legs E at the time the chair is in folded position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The upper ends of the rear legs E are provided with extension arms E pivotally connected by links G with the sides of the seat D so as to slide the seat D rearwardly on moving the chair into folded position and to slide the seat D forwardly on moving the chair into extended position, as shown in Fig. 3. The back H of the chair is formed of two side arms H pivoted at their lower ends on pivots C and rigidly connected with each other at their upper ends bya curved cross bar H The inner faces of the side arms H of the back H are provided with recesses H (see Fig. 4:), into which extend the upper ends of the arms E of the rear legs E, so as to limit the swinging motion of the said arms E relative to the arms H of the back H. Extension arms H are pivotally connected at H to the upper ends of the arms H, and the said arms H are connected with each other by a back band H of leather, canvas or other suitable flexible material.

lVhen the chair is in extended position, as shown in Fig. 3 and in the upper portion of Fig. 1, then the rear legs E are seated in the cushioning sockets F and the seat D is held in forward position by the links G while the back H is slightly inclined rearwardly thus giving the desired comfort to the person making use of the chair. When it is desired to fold the chair it is only necessary for the operator to take hold of the back H and lift the same to disengage the rear legs E from the sockets F and then to swing the chair forward with the front leg C turning on the pivot B During this forward swinging movement the seat D is drawn rearwardly by the links Gr so that when the chair reaches the folded position shown in Fig. 2, the front edge of the seat is above the floor A of the automobile, and the seat fits snugly into the curved back of the lower portion of the front seat A, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2. The operator engages the lower ends of the rear legs E with the front sockets F so as to hold the rear legs in position when the chair is folded. Prior to swinging the chair forward, as above explained, the extension arms H are swung downward so as to extend in front of the arms H so that when the chair reaches a folded position the band H extends snugly across the back of the upper portion of the front seat A, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2. \Vhen the chair is swung forward into folded position, the rib C of the front leg C passes into the slot B of the support 13 while the leg C rests on top of the floor covering A, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 6, so that the folded front leg C does not form an obstruction in the car to hinder the egress and ingress of persons making use of the automobile. When it is desired to extend the chair from the folded position shown in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig. 3, then the operator takes hold of the back H and exerts an upward pull so as to disengage the lower ends of the rear legs E from the front sockets F. The operator next exerts a rearward and upward pull on the back H to swing the front leg (3 upwardly and rearwardly and with it the remaining portions of the chair and then the operator seats the lower ends of the rear legs E in the rear sockets F. During this rearward swinging movement given to the chair the seat D is pushed forward by the action of the links Gr so that the seat D is in proper supporting position for the user of the chair. The arms H are swung upward into extended position so as to provide a comfortable back for the occupant of the seat.

By reference to Fig. 3, it will be noticed that when the chair is in extended position the front leg C is slightly inclined rearwardly so as to hold the seat D in a rearwardly and downwardly inclined position, at the same time projecting the front edge of the seat a distance in front of the front leg C to insure the desired comfort of the occupant to prevent the occupant from sliding forwardly off the seat on the automobile passing over a rough road.

The folding chair shown and described is comparatively simple and durable in construction and can be easily manipulated by the operator to move the chair from a folded into an extended position or from an extended position into a folded position. It will also be noticed that by the arrangement described the chair when in folded position fits snugly against the back of the front seat A so as to take up very little room.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A folding chair for automobiles, comprising a seat, a front leg pivoted at its lower end and provided at its upper end with a seat-supporting frame, on which the said seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs pivotally connected at their upper ends with the said seat-supporting frame, the rear legs having upwardlyextending arms, and links pivotally connecting the said arms with. the said seat to slide the latter forward or backward.

2. A folding chair for automobiles, comprising a seat, a front leg pivoted at its lower end and provided at its upper end with a seat-supporting frame on which the said seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs pivotally connected at their upper ends with the said seat-supporting frame, the rear legs having upwardlyextending arms, links pivotally connecting the said arms with the said seat to slide the latter forward or backward, a back mounted to swing on the pivotal connection of the rear leg and seat frame, and means to limit the swinging motion of the said back.

3. A folding chair for automobiles, comprising a seat, a front leg pivoted at its lower end and provided at its upperend with a seat-supporting frame on which the said seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs pivotally connected at their upper ends with the said seat-supporting frame, the rear legs having upwardlyextending arms, links pivo-tally connecting the said arms with the said seat to slide the latter forward or backward, and a back having side members mounted to swing forward and backward on the upper ends of the said rear legs, the said side members having recesses into which extend the said arms to limit the swinging motion of the said back.

4. A folding chair for automobiles, comprising a seat, a front leg pivoted at its lower end and provided at its upper end with a seat-supporting frame on which the said seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs pivotally connected at their upper ends with the said seat-supporting frame, the rear legs having upwardlyextending arms, cushioning sockets adapted to receive the lower ends of the said rear legs, and links pivotally connecting the said arms with the said seat to slide the latter forward or backward.

5. A folding chair for automobiles, comprising a seat, a front leg pivoted at its lower end and provided at its upper end with a seat-supporting frame on which the said seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs pivotally connected at their upper ends with the said seat-supporting frame, the rear legs having upwardlyextending arms and having their lower ends provided with shoulders and reduced terminals, cushioning sockets for receiving the said terminals and on which the said shoulders are seated, and links pivotally connecting the said arms with the said seat to slide the latter forward or backward.

6. A folding chair for automobiles, com prising a seat, a bottom support provided with a slot and set in the floor of the auto mobile, pairs of front and rear cushioned sockets set in the floor of the automobile, a front leg pivoted on the rear end of the said bottom support and provided with a rib adapted to pass into the said slot on folding the front leg, a seat-supporting frame held on the upper end of the said front leg and on which the said seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs adapted to be Copies of this patent may be obtained for seated at their lower ends in either of the said pair of sockets, the said rear legs having upwardly-extending arms, pivots connecting the said rear legs with the said seatsupporting frame, and links connecting the said arms with the sides of the said seat.

7 A folding chair for automobiles, comprising a seat, a bottom support provided with a slot and set in the floor of the automobile, pairs of front and rear cushioned sockets set in the floor of the automobile, a front leg pivoted on the rear end of the said bottom support and provided with a rib adapted to pass into the said slot on folding the front leg, a seat-supporting frame held on the upper end of the said front leg and on which the said seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs adapted to be seated at their lower ends in either of the said pair of sockets, the said rear legs having upwardly extending arms,

pivots connecting the said rear legs with the said seat-supporting frame, links connecting the said arms with the sides of the said seat, and a back mounted to swing on the said pivots and provided with recesses into which extend the said arms to llmit the swinging motion of the said back and arms.

8. A folding chair for automobiles, comprising a seat, a bottom support provided with a slot and set in the floor of the automobile, pairs of front and rear cushioned sockets set in the floor of the automobile, a front leg pivoted on the rear end of the said bottom support and provided with a rib adapted to pass into the said slot on folding the front leg, a seat-supporting frame held on the upper end of the said front leg and on which the said seat is mounted to slide forward and backward, rear legs adapted to be seated at their lower ends in either of the said pair of sockets, the said rear legs having upwardly-extending arms, pivots connecting the said rear legs with the said seat-supporting frame, links connecting the said arms with the sides of the said seat, and a back mounted to swing on the said pivots and provided with recesses into which extend the said arms to limit the swinging motion of the said back and arms, the said back being provided with pivoted extension arms and a flexible band connecting the said extension arms with each other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. DOUGLAS. Witnesses:

THEO- G. Hosrnn,

PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS.

five cents eaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

